Cabinet structure



July l5, 1941- J. E. BALEs 2,248,920

CABINET STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 11, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet ll1 /f if UH,

51.' 'I l f44 .d 4 '1,11 m1 l! 66 l1 ik I im 7@ @o @075 l @E J6 gg/36 Z4 @o J@ 3a July 15, 1941. J, E, SALES 2,248,920

CABINET STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 1l, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July l5, 1941. J. E. BALEs i CABINET STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 11,/'1938 s sheets-sheet s wel@ Patented July 15, 1941 CABINET STRUCTURE James E. Bales, Aurora, Ill., assignor to Lyon` f Metal Products, Incorporated,V

corporation of Illinois l Application January l11, 193s, serial No. 184,428

14 Claims.

The present invention relates to a cabinet structure and more particularly to a more or less sectional structure having means for coincidental operation of the doors.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cabinet assembly having a simpliiied and improved control mechanism for coincidentally operating a plurality of doors wherein `each of the doors is of the type which is pivotally mounted with respect to the cabinet and which slides bodily on a guide member to open and closed position.

YThe present invention more particularly comprehends the provision of a cabinet orlocker assembly of the aforementioned type which may be made up of any predetermined number of units, each having its own individual door or doors in which the doors of all the *assembled units are controlled by a single master door. Structures of the present type are useful wherein the lockers are to be made available to the users only at certain hours under the control and supervision of some official person, for example, under the circumstances which may prevail in schools. Heretofore known control mechanisms have not been susceptible as a practical matter to use in 'assemblies composed of a plurality of prefabricated units and com-prise a number of parts diiiicult to operate, as well as being susceptible to mechanical break-down and tampering, or occupying a relatively considerable space.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a control mechanism for lockers of the present type which is simple and efficient in operation and which comprises a minimum number of parts, all movable elements being readily adjustable for uniform operation regardless of the number of lockers in the assembly.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a locker door control mechanism comprising a single rotatably mounted control bar associated with arms rigidly secured thereto and arcuately movable therewith and operatively connected to the doors adjacent their free ends for the purpose of drawing the doors to open or closed position. 4

Numerous other objects and advantages will more fully appear during the course and progress of the following speciiication.

Figure l is a perspective view of a locker assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view the same as Figure 1, but showing the doors in open position.`

Aurora, Ill'.', aV

Figure 3 s a sectional elevation taken on the line `V3 3 in Figure 1. f

Figure 4 is a detail sectional `elevation taken on the line 4-4 in Figure 2. v Figure 5 is a detail plan section taken on the line 5-5 in Figure 3. Y

Figure 6 is a sectional view the same as Figure 5, but .showing lthe door in open position,

Figure 'l is a detail sectional elevation taken on the line 1 1 in Figure 4. v Figure 8 is a detail plan section line 8 8 of Figure '7. y

The .preferred embodiment, shown in the.v drawings for the purpose of illustrating the pres-ent invention, comprises a locker assembly ,having exterior side walls Ill and l2as well as ,top walls I4 and rear walls I6, all suitably joined together' along adjacentv edges. Attention is directed to the fact that the tcp wall I4 is divided centrally into two sections, each of which sections is .coextensive with and corresponds tojoney of. the locker Vsections or units, each. of which has two doors llll and 20, respectively. Y

The base of eachof the sections. comprises a bottom wall 22, preferably of. sheet.metal, ,the front edge of which is bent downwardly as `at 24 to providev a moldingeiiect for the lowerportion of the doorway and then terminates yin thein- .wardly and downwardly extending `flange 26. The opposite sides intherearmargin of thebottom wall 22 are provided with downwardly extending attachment flanges ,23 aridll, respective-j ly, Figure 3'to the fourfcorners otwhich are se.y cured the legs L32.V Each ofthe legs `32 is preferably provded with a" horizontally'extending foot portion 34. .In the embodiment shown, fastening means 36 are employedjtoholdthe legs in place although the invention comprehends theiry securement by welding, rivetingcr by any, other suitable type of fastening.

The strip ofsheet. material 3.8,;Figuressl, 2

and 3, is located just below the molding 24 and strip of material preferablykwill comprise metal screening, Vmetal caninguorA some `other ysuitable reticulated material tol permit free access oftexterior air for Ventilating purposes. `The screening may be held in positionby a plurality of clips All located` along the interior side thereof and cooperating with an inturned foot portion 42.

.In order to assemble the strip of screening 38 vin theposition shownthe clips 4i! are irst engaged about the downwardly vprojecting `flange 26 and the foot portion 42 moved to the position shown in Figure 3. The top wall I4 of the cabinet has downwardly extending flanges 44 and 46 along its rear and side edges, respectively, for attachment to associated elements which will be hereinafter described. The downwardly extendlng wall portion 48 formed along the front edge of the top wall I4 terminates in the inwardly extending fiange 50 which bounds the top of the doorway.

The exterior side walls I and I2 are flanged outwardly along their forward edge, as indicated by the reference numeral 52. The marginal molding constituted by this flange 52 is adapted to cooperate with the adjacent wall or building structure but engaging therewith. More particularly the present type of locker is adapted to be employed in more or less permanent built-in installations. Accordingly, the assembly may be inserted into a suitable aperture in a wall, for example, with the molding flanges 52 engaging the marginal edges of the aperture. The back wall I6 of the cabinet is secured to the flanges 30 and 44, as well as to the flanges 54 which terminate in the rear edge of the side members I2 whereby the cabinet structure proper is rigidly supported and arranged. Supporting means 56 for garments or other paraphernalia are secured to the side and rear walls and further strengthen the assembly. Each of the locker sections or units is further divided by the. internal partitions 58 so that each unit in reality comprises two separate lockers, each having a door co-extensive with the front thereof.

The internal side wall 60 of the locker sections or units may be constructed and arranged identically in the same manner as .the side walls I0 and I2 although preferably without the provision of vthe flange 52 on the forward edge thereof. This wall 60 may comprise two adjacent co-extensive walls, ea'ch of which is mounted to one of the locker sections. In accordance with the preferred embodiment, however, the wall 60 will be a single sheet of material secured to only one of the sections. In this connection it must be remembered that each of the sections may be prefabricated and stocked by the manufacturer and dealer to be made up into assemblies of as many sections or units as are desired for any particular order. The wall 60 will, accordingly, be permanently secured, for example, to the righthand section, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The lefthand section will, in its original individual form, be open on its lefthand side. When the units are assembled, as shown in the figures, and bolted together along the adjacent flanges 28 and 46, this open side is closed by the adjacent wall 60. The general method of assembling the units is described more in detail in my co-pending application, Serial No. 184,427, filed January 11, 1938 (case 179). It wil be obvious from this disclosure that any number of sections or units may be thus assembled in this manner.

The doors I8 and` 20 are reversely flanged along the side edges as at 62 and along the top and bottom edges as at 64 and pivotally support the upstanding, tubular member 66 shown more clearly in Figures 2 and 3. The tubular member 66 terminates well short of the top and bottom flanges 64. Pintle members 68 are securely positioned and fastened in either end of the tubular member 66 by means of the weld 69 and have integral, oppositely projecting pintles 10. The free ends of the pintles are pivotally journalled in the bushings 'I2 which are rigidly fastened 'to the central portion of the upper and lower flanges 64. The supporting arms 'I6 are bored as at I4 to slip over the end of the pintle 'I0 and are rigidly fastened to the end of the tube 66 and, accordingly, to the pintle and pintle block by means of welding. Each of the arms is pivotally mounted at its other end upon xed pivots 'I8 adjustably threaded in bushings 80. The lower bushing is fastened as at 82 to a transversely extending channel member 84 rigid with the side flanges 28, as well as the bottom wall 22 of the locker, which latter member is provided with a central aperture to permit the bushing to extend therethrough, Figure 3. A pair of transversely extending members 86 fastened as at 88 and welded to the top wall I4 of the locker have inwardly extending flange portions 90 to which the upper bushing 80 is rigidly attached by screws 92.

In the present structure, the weight of the door is supported upon the lower pivot "I8, being transmitted along the arm 16. Each door is guided in its path of movement with respect to the pivots I8 by tracks 94 secured in the position shown in Figures 3, 5 and 6 by means of the U-shaped braces 96 and spotwelded to the upper wall I4 of the locker and to the channel. The track orV guide member 94 opens downwardly to engage the guide roller S8 which projects above the upper margin of the door adjacent one corner thereof. Although the roller 98 may be pivotally 'arranged about its axis in accordance with the preferred embodiment, nevertheless the member 98 may be iixedly positioned with respect to the door in some installations. The tracks 94 may be bent, as plainly shown in Figure 6, so that theypossess a slightly flared configuration. This bend, although not essential to the operation of rthe device, results in an improved action ofthe doors.

The actuation of the doors to open and closed position is controlled by the rotatable bar |00 journalled in the upper rearward portion of the cabinets in bearings |02 (see Figures 5, 6 and 7). Opposite each door, the bar |00 supports an )arm |04. Attention is'directed to the fact that the normally cylindrical surface of thebar |00, as shown in Figures 3 :and 4, is interrupted along one side by the flat wall |06. Bolts |08 pass through suitable alined apertures so that one side is located alongrthe ilat face |06 for the purpose'of locking each of the arms |04 to the bar for rotation therewith. The other end of each arm |04 is pivotally mounted as at ||0 to the sleeve ||2 which is 'slidable upon the vertically extending bar |I4 rigidly mounted upon the rearward face of the door in a manner to be described hereinafter more in detail. It will be evident from this disclosure that, when the bar I 00 is rotated, it carries with it the arms |04. The lower end of the arms |04 tends to push, pull or drag the adjacent edge of the door to which it is secured in the horizontal direction of movement thereof, the sleeve I I 2 sliding upwardly or downwardly uponthe bar 'I I4 as the end of the arms |04 is raised or lowered as the case Vmay be.

Means is provided to adjust the slide bar ||4 so that the doors may be properly alined in open and closed position and consists of a pair 0f supporting blocks I I6 secured to the upper and lower end of the slide bar ||4, as see Figures 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8. Horizontally extending arms ||8 project under the reversely extending flange 62 along a vertical marginal edge of the respective door.

The lower surface of the arm, as viewed in Figure 8, is undercut or relieved as at |20 to lfreely clear the wall of the door so that the whole block or bracket may be moved. arcuately ink its horizontal plane with respect to the door aboutthe edge while being retained in the position shown by the flange B2.

An oppositely extending arm |22 `is provided with a set screw |24 bearing against a plate |26 welded flatwise to the wall of the door. The `plate |26 performs the additional function of rigidly engaging the tapered head of the machine screw |28 for positioning it rigidly with respect to the door, Figure 8. The machine screw extends freely through an aperture in the arm |22 and is engaged by a lock nut |3il. Accordingly, when it is desired to adjust the position of the slide bar I4 for the pur-pose of determining the closed or open position of the door, the nut |30 and the set screw |24 are manipulated to move the arm |22 toward or away from .the door. This adjustment controls within predetermined limits the vertical positioning of the arm I4.

A pair of resilient stop members |32 is mounted in the position shown in Figure 2 for the ,purpose of cushioning the closure of the doors,

as well as positioning the doors when closed. The lower stop member is mounted on the L-shaped bracket |34 fastened to the lower wall 2 2 of the cabinet while the upper member l 3 2 is mounted upon the bracket |36 fastened to the flange. 50 of the wall section 48.

While the operation of the rotatable control bar H10 may be controlled in various ways and from `various positions or stations vin accordance with the present invention, in the preferred embodiment disclosed, rotation thereof is controlled by actuation of the righthand door 20, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2. To this end the door 20 is provided with a control handle |38 'which may be associated with any conventional lock. The control handle furthermore is associated with oppositely reciprocal slide bars or bolts `lill) slidably mounted on the inner'face of this door and having end portions engageable selectively with suitable recesses in the upper and lowerportions of the doorway. Accordingly, when this door is bolted and/or locked, the remaining doors ofthe assembly will be likewise 'maintained in closed position. When the door 20 is actuated toA open position, the control bar |60 rotates through a counter-clockwise arc, as viewed in Figure 3, whereupon the remainderof the armsr |04 drag their respective doors from the position shown in Figure to the position shown in Figure 6. The present invention provides a simple and improved control mechanism for lockers of the type wherein the operation of all the doors thereof is effected from a master control station. This invention is particularly adaptable to lockers or cabinets having doors of the `instant type which are pivotally mounted for bodily lmovement with respect to a track. In addition, the present control mechanism is lparticularly useful in cabinet 4assemblies of the present type comprising a -plurality of sections or units which may be prefabricated and then assembled at some later time. While the control bar |00 has been described in the preferred embodiment of the drawings as being a single bar extending through 1al1 of the sections and releasably attachable to the arms |04, nevertheless the present invention comprehends the provision of individual bars for one or more of the sections provided with interlocking means adjacent their edges so that they may operate together when the sections are arranged inthe order disclosed. At the same timegthe control'bar and its associated mechanisms are positioned well away from the location of any articles` whichwould normally be stored inthe cabinet. The movable parts are all readily adjustablewith little difficulty and may bev assembled from prefabricated units without the necessity for any special equipment.

It is thought that the invention and numerous of its attendant advantages will be understood from'the foregoing description and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention,v or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the form herein described being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention. The invention is hereby claimed as follows: l.`In a cabinet structure of the class described having a doorway and a door for said doorway, the door being mounted on a track for movement to closed position with respect to the doorway or to open position within the cabinet, said cabinet having a control bar vwith a horizontal axis, and means fixed to said bar and movable -arcuately with respect to the axis thereof for moving the doors to open or closed position.

2. In a cabinet structure of the class described having a doorway and a door for said doorway, the door being mounted on a track for movement to closed position with respect to the doorway or to open position within the cabinet, said cabinet having a control bar rotatable on a horizontal Iaxis, and means xed to said bar and movable arcuately with respect to the axis thereof for moving the doors to open or closed position.

3. 'In a cabinet structure of the class described having a plurality of Acabinet units with doorway means thereon, doors for said doorway means, said doors being mounted on tracks for movement to closed position with )respect to the doorways ortoopen position within the cabinet, a rotatably mounted control bar extending through all of said units, control arms mounted rigidly on said bar for arcuate movement therewith, and means'r operatively connecting said arms and said doors for controlling'operation of the doors in accordance with the actuation of the bar.

4. In a cabinet ,structure of the class described having a plurality of cabinet units with doorway means thereon, doors for said doorway means, said doors being mounted on tracks for movement to closed position with respect to the doorways or to open position within the cabinet, a rotatably mounted control bar extending vthrough all of said units parallel to the doors in closed position, and a control arm for each door mounted rigidly on said bar for arcuate movement therewith, each arm being attached to its respective door for controlling operation thereof.

5. In a cabinet structure of the class described having doorway means, doors for said doorway means, said doors being mounted on tracks for movement to closed position with respect to the doorways or to open position within the cabinet, a rotatably mounted control bar, control arms mounted on said bar for arcuate movement therewith, means operatively connecting said arms and said doors for controlling operation of the doors in accordance with the actuation of the bar, and means for rotatably actuating the barr to control all the doors simultaneously.

6. In a cabinet structure of the class described having doorway means, doors for said doorway means, said doors being mounted on tracks for movement to closed position with respect to the doorways or to open position within the cabinet, a rotatably mounted control barVcontrol arms mounted on said bar for arcuate movement therewith, means operatively connecting said arms and said doors for controlling operation of the doors in accordance with the actuation of the bar, and

' a master control door operatively connected to said bar whereby the other doors are actuated coincidentally with the opening and closing of said master control door.

7. In a cabinet structure of the class `described having a doorway and a door therefor, a control arm movable arcuately to openand close the door, means on the door making operative connection between the control arm and the door, said means being mounted for limited arcuate movement on the door, and adjustable means for determining the arcuate position thereof for adjustably positioning the door with respect to the control mechanism.

8. In a cabinet structure of the class described having a doorway and a door therefor, a control arm movable arcuately to open and close the door, means on the door making operative connection between the control arm and the door, said means being mounted for limited arcuate movement on the door about a point spaced from the point of operative connection between the control arm and said connecting means, and threaded means for determining the arcuate position of said connecting means for adjustably positioning the said connecting means in its arcuate path with respect to the control mechanism.

9. In a cabinet structure of the class described having a doorway and a door therefor, a control arm movable arcuately to open and close the door, means making operative connection between the control arm and the door and comprising a slide bar mounted on a base having an arm engaging a portion of the door, and adjustable positioning means associated with the base for locating the said bar in any of a predetermined plurality of positions in its horizontal plane for adjustably positioning the door with respect to the control mechanism.

Y 10. In a cabinet structure of the class described having a doorway and a door therefor, a control arm movable arcuately to vopen and close the door, means on the door making operative connection between the control arm and the door, said means comprising a reversely extending flange along the margin of the door, an arm engaged by said reversely extending ange, said arm having operative connection with the control arm at a point remote from the engaged portion thereof, and adjustment means adapted to position the said operative connection horizontally with respect to the door about said engaged portion as a center.

11. In a cabinet structure of the class described having doorway means, doors for said doorway means, said doors being mounted on tracks for movement to closed position with respect to the doorways or to open position within the cabinet, a control bar mounted to rotate on a horizontal axis, control arms mounted on said bar for arcuate movement therewith, and means operatively connecting said arms and said doors for controlling operation of the doors in accordance-with the actuation of the bar.

12. In a cabinet structure of the class described having a plurality of doorways, doors for said doorways, said doors being mounted on tracks for movement to closed position with respect to the doorways or to open position within the cabinet, a rotatable control bar, arms fixed to said bar and arcuately movable with respect to the axis thereof, and means including slidable means operatively connecting each of said arms with a door for moving the door to open and closed position.

13. In a cabinet structure of the class described having doorway means, doors for said doorway means, said doors being mounted on tracks for movement to closed position with respect to the doorways or to open position within the cabinet, a control bar mounted to rotate on a horizontal axis, control arms mounted on said bar for arcuate movement therewith in a single plane, and means on said doors operatively connecting said arms and said doors for controlling operation of the doors in accordance with the actuation of the bar.

14. In a cabinet structure of the class described comprising a plurality of units each having doorway means, doors for said doorway means, said doors being mounted on tracks for movement to closed position with respect to the doorway or to open position within the cabinet, a rotatably mounted control bar extending through all of said units parallel to the doors in closed position, a control arm for each door mounted rigidly on said bar for arcuate movement therewith in a single plane, means comprising a vertical slide bar mounted on a base having an arm engaging a portion of the door, adjustable positioning means associated with the base for locating the said bar in any of a predetermined plurality of positions in its horizontal plane for adjustably positioning the door with respect to the control mechanism, and means secured to the endof said control arm and slidable on said slide bar for operatively connecting the control arm and the door.

JAMES E, BALES. 

